The Third Man
Again, I was troubled by disturbing parasomnia. Last night, I dreamt of being involved in two individuals' hand-to-hand combat. The first was finished off, and I was atop the second dispatching him when, from behind, a third man approached and grabbed me. I felt someone grab me; I awoke upright in bed in bed swinging my arms violently. Luckily, I did not wake my wife and lay back down. I have attacked my wife in my dreams before. I attended Bible study on Monday night. There were no triggers before going to bed. There are no changes to the array of meds for my sleep disorders, PTSD, sleep anxiety, depression, and survivor guilt. No caffeine. My sleep dojo was set. My prayers are intentional before falling asleep. Prior incidents, and this one only increased my sleep anxiety.
Thank you for sharing. I have learned over the years that it is important as I fall asleep to literally tell your mind to tell your body that you are absolutely safe & unconditionally loved. The first thing your brain does is try to protect your body & vice versa so when we have had traumatic experiences those experiences stay lodged not only in your memory somewhere but also your nervous system. So for me as well as praying or meditating I will say to my brain & my body that I am safe & that I am loved & I am protected. This has helped me a lot as well as many others I know. I hope this helps.